


Untitled Scene

by Jodygoroar



Category: Original Work
Genre: Non Fandom - Freeform, Original work - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:35:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28651374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jodygoroar/pseuds/Jodygoroar
Summary: I wrote this piece based on the prompt from a possible staff writer position. It is my original work.





	Untitled Scene

“Alright, Nichols, you know what you gotta do.” The words misted in the cold air before my face as I gave myself the worst pep-talk I’d ever heard. If I was going to survive a night in the forest of this strange planet I’d need a few things, and fast. The temperature was rapidly dropping towards freezing.

“Number one priority: heat.” I stabbed my machete into the cold ground beside my feet, stretched my shoulders, and looked around for the driest wood. It wouldn’t be easy with a dusting of fresh snow layering every surface in sight. I spotted a fallen oak nearby. I picked up my blade and stomped towards it, the well-worn leather of my boots leaving deep treads in the underbrush. I made short work of the old limbs as they cracked swiftly under the weight of my practiced swing, then I turned to bring about the trunk’s inevitable demise.

Once I had assembled a suitable pile of tinder and kindling I found a small flat stone and began digging into the quickly freezing ground. After clearing the damp brush to make a bed for my embers to settle into, I arranged the smallest and driest bits of woods in a tight circle. I nestled a bit of shredded bark in the heart of it all and held my machete close above the tinder, striking the sharpened edge with a small stone once, twice, three times. I was soon rewarded with the first licks of smoke and flame that would heat my hide through this long and bitter night. Carefully, I nurtured the tiny flames into a roaring blaze.

“You still got it.” I indulged in stroking my ego a moment longer before turning to the next task at hand. Water would be simple enough now that I had a sufficient heat source with which to melt the snow. The shelter was next. The wind was picking up, only adding to the chill in the air as the alien sun steadily descended below the horizon.

I flipped the collar of my Earth Force-issued leather jacket up in a fetal attempt to block out the bone-chilling wind. I needed shelter, and I needed it now. There had been a healthy and thick fir tree about ten yards off from the oak which was currently turning to ash in my fire. I headed in that direction and glanced over my shoulder at the lengthening shadows. My decades-long stint in Earth’s finest space military had sharpened my senses extensively, and they were hinting at my mind that something was off. The forest on this strange alien planet was thick and hid many secrets. It could hide threats just as well; I had to keep my wits about me.

I focused back on the task at hand and made quick work of hacking the thick branches from the fir tree, lining them up in neat rows by my fire. The four thickest and straightest limbs would make a fine framework. I had a small streak of luck and found some kind of vine climbing up from the brush.

“Look at that,” I muttered to myself, “you found a rope. Well done. Now stop patting your back and get your ass in gear.” I’d caught myself dawdling, but I was rapidly losing the light. If I didn’t get my shelter up in the next hour I would be working by the light of my fire.

I tossed a few more of the large, oak logs onto the fire and turned-to. With deft movements, I began erecting a small but sturdy framework near the crackling flames. It was a simple tent shape that leaned heavily off-center, not the kind of thing that would pass in Earth Force survival school, but it would do for the night. Once the framework was secured to my satisfaction I began strapping the thick limbs of the fir tree to the frame, closing in the spaces not facing the fire. I left nearly half of the side that faced the fire open to allow the heat in and keep an eye out for threats throughout the night. I had more branches from the fir tree than I really needed, but added them in on the back of my improvised shelter for extra insulation.

“’Cause, ya know, why not?” I asked the dry, frigid air. The last wisps of sunlight had finally faded away.

“Why not, indeed?” Asked a sultry voice to my left. Every one of my instincts kicked immediately into high gear as I turned to the intruding voice. I had no idea this planet was inhabited. I hadn’t planned on the company and was quite surprised to find the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen standing not but six feet from me.

She leaned against the barren trunk of the fir tree I had dismantled for my shelter, one heavily-booted foot crossed in front of the other. Clad entirely in dark leather, she was far better equipped for the cold than I was. She sported a sleek pistol strapped to the right of her hip and a long dagger sheathed on her left. Another leather strap disappeared over her shoulder. I couldn’t see through the flickering light of the fire, but by the looks of it, she had a rifle in her possession. 

Her arms were crossed in front of her chest in false casualness, betrayed by a stiffness that indicated she was ready to act at any moment. I forcefully dragged my gaze up from the shapely curve of her hips and waist to her face and found it was just as attractive as the rest of her. Long hair the color of summer wheat hung in a loose braid over her shoulder, a few strands dancing freely in the icy wind. Her eyes were black in the dim light of the fire, yet somehow piercing right into my soul. 

With sharp cheekbones, a straight nose, and full lips, she had the face of an angel. The ethereal illusion was ruined by a long, shallow scar that ran down the left side of her face from her eyebrow to her cheek.  
She was objectively beautiful, and not just because she was the first woman - the first human - I’d seen in months. Then again, I thought to myself, months of exile would make any person attractive.

Whether she was really beautiful or I was just lonely, maybe she could be my way back to civilization. She looked far less travel-weary and haggard than I.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking. After all, what’s the harm in a little extra preparedness?” I asked, throwing my most charming lopsided smile at her.

I had no idea as to her intentions. Hell, I didn’t even know she existed until she appeared by my camp at that fateful moment. She could mean any number of fates for me, and with two firearms she had me outgunned if not out skilled. She was almost my height and had the well-toned physique of a woman with a history of looking after herself in situations like this. You never know what a woman like that has in store for you, and I calculated that it was best to play it safe until I had a feel for what she had in store for me. 

And if it doesn’t pan out between us, she might have a ship nearby, or perhaps access to one. Perhaps my fortunes had changed, indeed.

She didn’t move from her falsely relaxed position against the tree but I caught sight of the tiniest twitch at the corner of her mouth. I took that as a good omen and carried on about charming her.

“Besides, you never know what the day, or night, will bring,” I spoke casually, stepping lightly around my fire in a round-about way back towards my machete. With a bit of luck and a lot of charm perhaps this night would end well for both of us. I continued blabbering on about innocuous musings about the turns that fate can bring about and kept a careful watch on her expression.

“You see, I’ve found that I’d much rather be over-prepared than under-prepared in just about any situation I may find myself,” I told this mysterious woman. She had yet to speak another word to me but her posture was relaxing slightly, so I forged onward. “I haven’t any food but as you can surely see I have a lovely fire, plenty big enough to keep us both warm. If you’d like to join me?”

Her lips puckered softly in mock concentration, and she held her right arm lightly in front of her. “Well,” she began, uncrossing her feet and taking a few strides toward me, “I suppose I have some time to kill.”

She threw a little extra emphasis on the last word, kicking my attention into high gear again. Suddenly I was thankful for all the long nights playing poker with Evans, I kept my features relaxed as she stepped ever closer to me. I had managed to close the gap between myself and my weapon to mere inches, seemingly without her noticing. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck and my nerves sang as I readied myself for the possibility of a fight.

She stopped on the other side of my campfire. I took a deep breath and waited for her next move. She crouched to her knees and held her empty hands out to the flames as if to warm them. My muscles loosened only slightly, still at the ready in case this was a show of friendliness to get me to drop my guard.

“Is that so?” I asked her, leaning back slighting, hoping the movement looked comfortable while really it was a ruse to bring my fingers within reach of the machete’s handle.

She shrugged, the corner of her mouth turning up in a cocky smile. She rocked back on her heels slightly, settling more comfortably into her crouch by the fire. She smiled wide, the light of the flames kissing her face, making her beauty even more apparent. At that moment, I realized her eyes were a deep brown, like the color of rich Earth soil after it rains.

“Well,” I said, the first genuine smile spreading across my lips, “there’s plenty of room and plenty of firewood. I don’t have any food but I’ve got some snow melting over here if you’re thirsty.”

“Hmm,” she hummed in appreciation. “That works quite well, seeing as I have no water but I do have...” She reached into one of the many pockets on her leather pants and pulled out a small pouch, “well I suppose you could call it jerky.”

My eyebrows quirked up at her tone, she sounded almost unsure. Skepticism was clear in my voice as I asked, “What kind of jerky?”

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” She laughed, a deep joyful sound that came from her belly. It was like church bells in my ears, the most lovely sound I had heard in weeks.

“I’m really not sure. It was sort of like a rabbit, a squirrel, and an armadillo all rolled into one,” she chuckled again, presumably at the way my face screwed up trying to imagine such a creature.

“Not that I’m going to turn down such a generous offer, but is it any good?” I asked her, passing the shallow bowl-shaped stone of melted snow to her.

She smiled again and traded me the pouch for the water, “You know, it’s really pretty good!”

After taking a long drink of the cold water she wiped one hand across her mouth and said, “Name’s Hansen. Bekka Hansen.”

I carefully tore a chunk of the rabbit-squirrel-armadillo jerky and began chewing, it was rather delicious, just as she had claimed. “Mmm, it’s pretty tender for a creature likened to an armadillo,” I told her. I chewed a moment longer, swallowed, and said, “Nichols.”

“Nichols, huh?” She asked. She stared hard at me a moment, clearly expecting a first name to go along with it. I sighed, she’d given me her name, I supposed I should match the gesture.

I groaned softly, looked away, and said, “Nick Nichols.”

“That’s...” her bold eyebrows drew together as she searched for the word, “unfortunate.” She burst into laughter. The sound rang out loud around us, disrupting the quiet of the forest enough that a small flock of birds launched themselves into the air from a nearby tree.

“Yes, thank you,” I smirked at her sardonically.

She blushed softly, covering her mouth with one hand, clearly a little embarrassed at the amount of noise she’d made. “Sorry,” she whispered through her fingers.

I caught myself staring into her eyes and tried to look away, but her smile was so genuinely radiant. I felt trapped in her gaze. I knew I wasn’t being smart. I still had no idea as to her intentions.

As if she could hear my thoughts she chuckled softly and confessed, “You know, when I saw the light from the fire I had intentions to kill whomever I found here and take the camp for myself.”

My muscles braced once more for battle but I found myself rather relaxed still. “Well, I could see why you might want to do something like that. Unless, of course, the person whose camp it was was just a pure delight,” I joked arrogantly.

She rewarded me with another bright smile. “Thankfully for you and my outfit, he is a pure delight,” she joked back.

I smiled warmly back at her, enjoying the bit of flirtation passing between us and incredibly thankful that my life seemed not to be ending in the next few moments. Unfortunately, the sudden crashing of trees nearby shattered the peaceful, fun moment Bekka and I were sharing as an enormous shadow forced its way through the trees surrounding our small camp.

It paused at the edge of the ring of light from the fire long enough for me to get a decent look at it. The creature was easily eight feet tall and built like the side of a house. It was vaguely human in the sense that it was bipedal with two arms, but that was where the likeness ended. The creature’s arms were thick with muscle, and it had only three finger-like appendages on each hand that curved sharply like eagle’s talons. The legs were as thick as my chest with knees that bent the wrong direction and ended in hooves like a bull. Thick dark hair, or perhaps fur, covered the top of its head except where two short horns jutted from either side of it’s scarred face. It appeared to have lost an eye. It’s back hunched forward slightly giving it a neandertal like presence, though he was clearly intelligent as he assessed our body language and weaponry at a dangerous speed. The beast growled low in his throat and pulled a long, jagged blade from over his shoulder. It was the length of my leg, curved dangerously at the tip, and had inch long serration near the handle. It was a weapon and a tool, good for hooking, hacking, and sawing.

“No humans!” He bellowed, his voice was deep and gravelly. 

Bekka and I had both assessed the intruder simultaneously and came to the same conclusion: this was not an intruder to be reasoned with, nor was it one to ignore. I would be fighting for my life tonight, after all, I could only hope that Bekka Hansen would fight by my side. My heart sank a fraction as she launched herself back in a tight roll away from the fire. I was prepared to stand my ground alone if I had to, but was immensely grateful when I spotted Bekka coming to her feet, rifle tucked tight at her shoulder, aimed squarely at the beast’s good eye.

I stood more slowly and deliberately, hoping to draw the beast’s attention to give her a momentary advantage, though he seemed to pay me no mind. I quickly grabbed at my machete and tried to put myself between Bekka and the beast. Equipped with only my knowledge of her weapon and nothing of her skill, I decided the best place for her was at a distance. If she could catch a good shot, this could be over quickly.

The bull-man creature had other ideas, he shoved me to the side and stomped towards Bekka. She took exactly three shots at his chest before he reached her. Unphased by the lead bullets embedded in the thick meat of his torso, he shoved her harshly into the trunk of the fir tree. I cringed as the sound of her skull against wood echoed around us and she fell, limp, onto the cold ground.

The beast turned back to me, the only emotion I could see in his face was rage, presumably at the fact that there were humans on his planet.

He shouted again. “Human, go!”

I shrugged sarcastically at him, my cocky side getting the better of me, as usual. “How about, ‘no’?”

He bared his enormous teeth at me and roared his displeasure at my sassy reply. I raised my machete, prepared to fight and die as a man if it came to that. The beast charged at me, his blade raised to his shoulder, ready to lop my head off in a single swing. I ran at him in turn and ducked under his arm at the last possible moment, pulling my machete up close and slicing deep into the side of his torso. I was relieved to find the beast could not only bleed but feel pain. Dark blood sprayed out from the deep wound as the beast howled in pain and fury.

I spun fast on my heel to face him again. He looked as surprised as he was enraged as he touched the gaping wound on his side. His hand came away dripping with black fluid. I took a swift glance at Bekka, though she was still unconscious I could see her chest rise and knew she was still alive. The thought of trying to reach her rifle came and was discarded just as quickly. Turning my back on the beast was not a wise decision.

He was still a bit stunned by my ability to injure him. I took a chance, “We mean you no harm...”

But he only let out another deafening roar and charged me once more. This time he kept his arms close to his body, eliminating an easy strike to his middle. I blocked the swing of his blade with mine and felt the force of the blow deep into my toes. My bones rattled under the shock of it and I turned swiftly, pivoting away from him again. Once more he lashed out with his blade, trying to take my head off at the shoulders. This time I managed to use my smaller stature and evaded him rather than try to block him. The force of his swing was so immense he could easily shatter my bones without hardly trying.

I danced and spun away from his swings a moment longer before deciding I could not last long this way. Two bites of jerky were the only food I had had in three days and I was weak. I wracked my brain for another idea but battle strategy had never been my strong suit. A straight forward attack seemed like my best option. I studied his movements a moment longer, as he swung at my neck once more. I took two steps back, forced him to charge me again. When he did I crouched low, rolled forward, and lashed my machete out at his torso once more, mere inches below the first wound that was still freely pouring blood.

The beast howled loudly into the icy night air, more pain than anger this time, and I felt a spark of hope.

My hope burst into flames as the nearly silent but undeniably familiar sound of a finger on a trigger whispered out from behind me. I had only enough time to turn my gaze to the beast’s face as a .45 caliber round pierced straight into his one good eye. The forest was quiet aside from the sickening splat of hard lead decimating soft tissue, followed by the hiss of air leaving his body as it collapsed to the ground.

I turned to my left and found Bekka Hansen, still slumped at the base of the fir tree. Her rifle was braced on her shoulder, a bit of blood trickling down the side of her face. She was staring hard at the beast’s dead body.

I stepped over to her, placing my machete down as I crouched beside her. I touched my left hand gently to her cheek, wiping at the drops of red on her cheek. I hooked one finger under her chin and nudged her to look at me. She blinked once, still seeming dazed, whether it was from the blow to the head or the adrenaline of the encounter I wasn’t sure. She blinked once more and finally appeared to recognize my face.

I smiled, sheer gratitude in my heart. She had come here to kill me tonight but instead, she had saved my life. “You alright?” I asked quietly.

She nodded, a bit of a smile turning up the corner of her perfect lips. “What a turn of events,” she mused.

“I was just thinking the same thing,” I said, flashing my most sincere smile at her.

She chuckled softly and lowered her gun to her lap.

“Thank you,” I whispered, leaning in close.

“Anytime,” she whispered back, wrapping the fingers of her left hand tightly around the back of my head and pulling my lips down to hers.


End file.
